Drosselbart
by fireflower297
Summary: Based on the tale by the Brothers Grimm, about a princess who... Well, let me just have you find out for yourself.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: The Grimm Brothers' Koenig Drosselbart retold. Enjoy, Read, and Review!**

* * *

><p>Once upon a time, in a land not necessarily far away, lived a beautiful princess. She was as pretty as pretty can be, but she had a cold heart. Her name was Renate and she was the princess of Waldemar. Many suitors came and went, but she refused them all.<p>

One day, a king named Steffen came to the castle. Now, despite his young age, this king already had quite a wonderful beard. He was quite proud of it, as it had garnered many compliments and earned him the nickname of Thrushbeard. However, despite his youth and wonderful riches, Steffen had yet to find a bride. Renate was the last noble on his list and the counselors would quite possibly murder him if he married a commoner, so his task would be all or nothing.

Many suitors had gathered, to celebrate Renate's birthday and possibly earn her hand in marriage. When all of the suitors had gathered in the Great Hall with the other guests, Renate started her inquisition. She began with the eldest, a man of about 50 years, whose belly had grown fat and his hair, grey. "Well now, if you were my husband, I would be like enough to call you 'Grandfather'." She laughed and continued on to the next suitor.

The number of red faces greatly expanded after the first man. Finally she reached the end of the line, where Steffen waited impatiently. He had heard enough insults today to know that she would find someway to belittle him. Renate began by having him turn in a circle. Her eyes eagerly took in his handsome figure from the bottom to the top. But when she saw his face, she was greatly surprised. His beard was thick and groomed into a point like a bird's beak.

Renate started to laugh. For as much as she liked the rest of his figure, she would much rather prefer to see the man without a beard, as she found her father's to be terribly ticklish whenever he gave her a kiss. "I had heard that you were called King Thrushbeard, but I didn't expect it to look so terribly like a bird's beak. Therefore, I shall call you _Bird-beard_!" Renate burst out laughing at her own cleverness.

"Of course, but you may want to consider that not everyone will take your jest as lightly as I have. I hope that then, you will see just how terrible you have been to everyone around you," with Steffen's harsh words, all of the suitors left the hall, complaining about Renate's treatment of them.

Renate's father turned to his daughter, terribly red-faced, "What were you _thinking_!" he yelled at her. "I went to a lot of trouble to find suitable men, and you throw each and every one of them into the fire!"

"Be sensible father, your counselors were the ones to find the men," Renate seated herself at one of the vacated seats and took a few morsels of food off of the platter, "You just think, royal and we're done with her. But I want to marry for _love_, like in the stories that the minstrels tell."

"Like the stories of the minstrels? Well then, I'll make sure you hear them every night. The next minstrel to come to the gate shall be your husband."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Part two in my Drosselbart story. The one in which PLANS are made. I am NOT one of the Brothers Grimm. Enjoy, Read, and Review!**

* * *

><p>Steffen would be ashamed to admit it aloud, but he liked Renate. He liked her spunk and he was ashamed to say that he had hidden behind a column when the other suitors had left. The King and Renate hadn't left immediately. In fact, they stayed for about thirty minutes, arguing about her suitors. She wanted to marry for love, while he wanted her to marry for position. In the end, the King gave up, promising that she would marry the next minstrel to come to the gate.<p>

So she would marry a minstrel and not a king? That certainly created a change in tactics. Renate stormed out of the Hall, throwing her plate at her father's feet. Steffen sighed, she was finally gone. A cough sounded behind him and the young man turned to see the portly figure of Renate's father. "Hello there Steffen," the man said with a cheerful grin.

"Sir."

"Are you planning anything to get my daughter's hand before any of these minstrels?"

An idea sprang to life in Steffen's head, "Yes, sir, if you will permit me to stay here tonight and leave in the morning. I would like to make use of the royal barber's, in addition to various other facilities of yours."

"Certainly, just don't tell _me_ everything. I would probably tell Renate." Steffen smiled at the good king, who had always been a great help to him in times of trouble. "Steffen, would you mind terribly if I joined you at the barber's? I feel my under-chin returning."

"I don't mind at all." The two kings walked off to the royal barber's together, laughing over strange battlefield tactics that never worked.

Renate stared down the hallway after her father and suitor. It did not seem like the time to go to the barber's when a minstrel could arrive at any moment. No, her father and Drosselbart were up to something and she was going to find out what. Stumbling through the hallway (whomever said that princesses were always graceful was a liar), she made her way to the barbershop.

The barber was not in. He had been called away earlier that day to attend to his pregnant wife. With this knowledge, Renate got an idea. The two kings entered the barbershop and were met by a young man with not much of a beard on his chin. The young man bowed deeply to each in turn. "Where is Harald?" the older king asked.

"He was called away to attend his wife; your majesty," the barber replied, settling each of the gentleman into their chairs. "I am R- Ralf."

The elder had an easier shave than the younger. It simply comprised of taking care of the few bristles underneath his chin. Steffen's shave was much more complicated. He firstly requested that as much of his beard as possible could be kept in a bag. The following steps grew more and more complex and the barber no longer took notice of any difference in the young king's now-beardless face.

The next day, an exhausted princess woke from a disturbed sleep by the king's fanfare and a loud banging at the door. "Go away!" she cried irritably.

"But Princess, you should be preparing for your wedding," the princess' lady-in-waiting answer.

"_Wedding! _What_ wedding!"_


End file.
